Teaching This Week’s Lesson
Share Experiences
Objective The children will understand that we celebrate our love for special people.
Gather in a circle and sing “Yes, Lord, I Believe” (CD-2, #26) as you begin your Promise session.
Gathering Prayer Pray: “Jesus, thank you for bringing us together. We welcome you into our hearts and into our lives. Help us to welcome others as you welcome us today.”The children respond, “Amen.”
Warm-Up Activity l Celebrations Stay in the circle and ask: Who knows what team won the Super Bowl this year? Ask: How do people celebrate when their team wins. Parades, whistles, marching bands, banners, singing, honking horns. Ask: How do you think the players feel about their special parades? When have you celebrated a new baby or other special family event?
Story l Welcome, Maria! Tell the following story about welcoming someone special:
Dad, Mom, Brad, and Sarah were all waiting at the airport. They were waiting for a new baby. Her name was Maria. Dad was holding a folder of important papers to show the people who were bringing Maria. Mom had the car seat so Maria would be safe in their car
on the way home. Brad had a yellow balloon that said, “Welcome, Maria!” Dad had written the message with a big black marker. Sarah had a teddy bear to give to Alicia.
They waited a long time. Finally, people started coming from
the plane Maria was supposed to be on. All the people looked tired. None of them had a baby. Brad pulled on Dad’s sleeve and asked, “Where’s Maria?” Dad said, “Let’s both close our eyes and say a prayer to ask God to bring Maria soon.” Brad closed his eyes and prayed hard. When he opened them, he saw a baby’s head above the heads of all the men and women. The baby was smiling. “There she is!” yelled Brad. Dad and Mom and Brad and Sarah all yelled, “Maria!” at the same time. The baby heard them and waved her little arms. The woman holding Maria smiled a big smile. “This is your little girl,” she said and gave Maria to Mom. Everyone patted Maria and gave her kisses. Then Mom strapped her into the car seat. Brad tied the balloon to the seat, and Sarah tucked the teddy bear next to Maria. Brad and Sarah carried the car seat with Maria in it all the way to the parking lot. They drove home full of happiness.
Ask: Who were Brad and Sarah waiting for? How did the family get ready to welcome Maria? Why is Maria important to her new family?
Discover Gospel and Doctrine
Objective The children will recognize that we celebrate important events in the life of Jesus during Holy Week.
Play and sing “Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ” (CD-2, #23) to prepare for the proclamation of the Gospel.
Sunday Gospel l Welcome Jesus! (page 1) Distribute Promise. Direct the children’s attention to the cover picture of Jesus being welcomed into Jerusalem. Tell the Palm Sunday story:
The more Jesus taught, the more friends he made. Many people heard about him and wanted to listen to him. One day, Jesus decided to go to Jerusalem, the capital city of his country and the place where the Temple was. He invited his friends to come along.
When they got to the city gate, Jesus asked his friends to find
a donkey for him to ride. This was a sign that he was a peaceful person, not a king who was used to riding around in a chariot and making wars.
People were glad to see Jesus. They crowded around to welcome him. Many people spread their cloaks on the road. Some others cut leafy branches to spread on the road. They did this to make a special path for the donkey to travel on. People ahead of Jesus shouted, “Hosanna!” This is like shouting, “Hooray!” They shouted, “Hosanna! God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the coming kingdom of our ancestor David. Hosanna for God in Heaven above!”
Ask: How did people show their love for Jesus? If you had been there, what would you have shouted to welcome Jesus?
Explain that the word Hosanna is like saying Hooray! Play and sing “Hosanna! Shout Hosanna!” (CD-1, #18).
Gospel Drama l We Welcome Jesus Invite the children to act out the Gospel. Make a path in the classroom for the road to Jerusalem. Choose one child to be Jesus, one to be the donkey, and several to walk beside Jesus. (Jesus shouldn’t really sit on the donkey.) Direct the other children to wave their arms as palms. Jesus and his friends start at one end of the path and go to the other. Children line up on both sides, waving their arms and shouting, “Welcome, Jesus, Hosanna!” If time permits, play and sing “Hosanna! Shout Hosanna!” (CD-1, #18) again.
Distribute the children’s What the Church Believes and Teaches handbooks.
TG4-10
Welcome, Jesus!
Finish coloring the picture.
PFLAUM GOSPEL WEEKLIES Faith Formation Program
March 25, 2018
Palm/Passion Sunday